Take a walk around Hillcrest Centre, one of our Olympic venues as well as Queen Elizabeth Park, the highest point in the city. Paths through wooded areas, beautifully maintained gardens, Indigenous public art pieces and scenic views of downtown and the Two Sisters in the North Shore Mountains are only some of the visually spectacular sights to see along this route.
Route statistics
| Distance | 2.98 km |
| Steps | 3010 |
| Elevation change | 51 m |
Route description
The Hillcrest to Queen Elizabeth Park route was created to highlight one of our 2010 Winter Olympic venues as well as the greater community around it. This route will take you to the highest point in the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. From here you can see some of the most spectacular views of the city, including the Two Sisters in the North Shore Mountains. Take a walk through the Riley Park neighbourhood and enjoy the peaceful surroundings of a residential area just minutes from the city centre. Your walk begins at the entrance to Hillcrest Centre, which features two pieces of Indigenous public art.
- View Changes, a short story by Lisa G Nielsen External website, opens in new tab
- Read The Two Sisters by E Pauline Johnson External website, opens in new tab
Accessibility
This route is made up of city sidewalks, paved and paved dirt paths. On the northside of Midlothian Ave at Clancy Loranger Way there are steps and a path available on a large incline for those wanting a quicker route into the park. Those who want a more gradual incline will want to follow to displayed route.
Artist: Manitoba Aboriginal Arts Council, Inc.
Quarry garden
Rose garden
Love in the Rain
Bloedel Conservatory is a domed lush paradise located in Queen Elizabeth Park atop the City of Vancouver’s highest point. More than 120 free-flying exotic birds, 500 exotic plants and flowers thrive within its temperature-controlled environment.
The fabulous Dancing Waters fountain is located adjacent to Bloedel Conservatory and is attractive both day and night. It is comprised of 70 jets of water using 85,000 litres of recirculating water.
1 of 3 casts of this bronze scuplture, Henry Moore's Knife Edge Two Piece sits in the centre of the square outside the Bloedel Conservatory. It was installed in 1969 and was a gift to the Park Board by Prentice and Virginia Bloedel.
Riley Park is welcoming to people wanting to picnic, play sports, or simply walk along the curving paths throughout the park. The park offers the city’s first universally accessible playground; sheltered by some lovely trees is another unique feature, a climbing boulder. With the completion of Hillcrest Centre in 2010, Riley Park Community Centre was demolished and replaced by an expanded park and garden. Stop and take in the enormous care and thought that went in to designing and constructing this expanded public space.
Artist: Aaron Nelson-Moody